Alberta hiring to restore land where fireguards were created in 2023 wildfire season
CBC
The provincial government is seeking contractors to restore hundreds of kilometres of land where fireguards were created during the 2023 wildfire season.
The Forestry and Parks Ministry recently issued several requests for proposals, looking to return the land to a near-natural state. The work focuses on sites where large wildfires burned near Edson, Alta., about 200 kilometres west of Edmonton, and in the High Level forest area in northwestern Alberta.
"Generally, at the North American level, it's well understood that rehabilitation of fireguards is a really important thing to do," said Jed Kaplan, a professor in the University of Calgary's earth, energy and environment department.
Canada, including Alberta, experienced a historic wildfire season in 2023. Alberta Wildfire recorded about 1,100 fires that burned more than 2.2 million hectares.
Fireguards, a common fire suppression technique, are strategically placed barriers that aim to stop — or at least hinder — wildfire from spreading. Often, heavy equipment is used to remove vegetation that could fuel the flames, leaving only soil.
Alberta Forestry and Parks must reclaim forest land firefighting crews disturbed as part of wildfire suppression operations, including fireguards, according to tender documents posted on Alberta Purchasing Connection, where public institutions, such as municipalities and government ministries, post requests for proposals.
Some of the fireguards travel through wooded areas, which may require cleaning out topsoil, downed trees and debris. Some infrastructure may need to be reclaimed too — like pipeline crossings and helipads — according to the tender documents.
In an emailed statement, the forestry and parks ministry said a request for proposals for reclamation work is open.
"By reclaiming the land, the province aims to prevent soil erosion, stabilize the area, and encourage new growth, helping the land recover quickly," said Alexandru Cioban, spokesperson for the ministry.
The open soil left by fireguards, Kaplan said, leaves that area vulnerable to invasive species and erosion. Depending on where the fireguard is, that could contaminate a nearby water supply or increase the risk of landslides, he said. Patching the fireguard also protects the local ecosystem.
"Those are all three really important reasons why we want to rehabilitate or restore fireguards as quickly as possible after wildland fires are contained," he said.
The debris, he added, may have been tossed into a pile while the fireguard was created. Clearing it could prevent future fire and safety risks.
The contracts span from Dec. 6 to March 31, 2025, because the work has to be done when the soil is frozen, the documents say.
Alberta's 2024 wildfire season officially ended Oct. 31. Alberta Wildfire responded to more than 1,210 fires that burned more than 705,000 hectares.
Much of Newfoundland is digging out of a blustery and messy day as another storm slams into the island.
Timiskaming—Cochrane MPP John Vanthof recalls the meeting in Thunder Bay earlier this month. He was part of the nine-day road trip along Highways 11 and 17 with other NDP MPPs.
A bill before the Nova Scotia Legislature is proposing raising the age limit for support for young people who have been in the foster care or group home system to 26.
The Fredericton Police Force has reallocated funds so new staff can be hired this year to better manage evidence after a police error upended murder cases against five people.
One of two pilots killed in a plane crash at New York's LaGuardia Airport Sunday earned his wings at an Ontario college, CBC News has learned.
Air Canada passengers who were aboard Flight 8646 when the CRJ-900 aircraft struck a fire truck upon landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Sunday evening say the collision was sudden and forceful, and they may owe their lives to the pilots who died in the incident.
Cardiac services are set to expand at a Winnipeg hospital once regarded as one of the best in Canada for heart care.
A 26-second TikTok video has ignited a larger conversation about vulnerable populations, theft and content creation.
Some family doctors and emergency room physicians working in Edmonton hospitals warn that an April 1 end to stipend pay arrangements could put patient care at risk and increase suffering.
An Auditor General of Canada report has found that B.C. saw drastically fewer international students than was forecast ever since wide-ranging federal immigration cuts began in 2024.
Six years after e-learning became a mandatory requirement to get an Ontario high school diploma, students don't appear to be taking online school to diversify their course selection as the province had intended, according to a CBC News analysis of provincial enrolment data.
Sarnia City Council will hold a special meeting Tuesday morning to respond to social media comments made by Coun. Bill Dennis, who criticized city spending on a new mural by Indigenous artist Kennady Osborne as “virtue signalling by woke politicians” — then made a series of comments in response to a reply from Aamjiwnaang Chief Janelle Nahmabin that some have characterized as unprofessional and aggressive.
While many Albertans continue to feel the pinch at the pump, Premier Danielle Smith says the government is not considering any fuel tax breaks, as it does not believe it will make much of a difference.